Switch.



I F. E. ems.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MT. 4. 1915.

Pa tented Jan. 9,1917.

STATES PATE T osmosrzan x a. cams, or cnIcaeo, ILLINoIs, nssIeNon 'roELECTRICAL ENGINEERS noun?- KENT COMPANY, OF, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. Gn'rrs, a citizen of the United States,Chicago, in the county of Cook lllinols, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Sw 1tches,of which the following is a full, clear,concise, and exact description, reference being had to 'theaccompanyin'gdrawmgs, formmg a part of this specification.

, The subject matter of this invention is an electrical switch.

Switches for opening and closing electrical circuits carrying largequantities of current have been sub act to the general defect ofemploying only a part of the maternal In conducting currents. This 1sdue to a number of defects of the switches as normally constructed. Ithas been customary in the prior art to wedge the switch blade betweentwo spring fingers in order to form contact between the stationaryterminals and the blade; The wedging has been foundnecessary in order tomaintain the fingers in contact with the blade, but the very action ofwedging drives the fingers apart so that Imperfect contact is obtained.In general a small part of the surface of the blade is held in contactwith the spring fingers. This is especially difficult to overcome inlarger sizes and current carrying capacities of switches. a

v The object of the present invention is to provide an improved form ofswitch structure in which a maximum of contact will be obtained betweenthe stationary lugs and the switch blade or its blades.

I have found that it is possible to obtain every good bearing surface ofthe switch blade or blades and the stationary terminals or lugs bymaking the blades self alining with respect to the lugs so that they arefree to adjust themselves to the sides of the lugs and thus obtain amaximum of surface contact. a I

In the accompanying drawin form apart of the present spec which cation,I

have shown a number of switch structures embodying myinvention.

Figure 1 1s aside elevational view of a switchconstructed 1n accordancewith my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; 3 is a sideelevation of a modifi cation; and Fig. 4-is an of the switch shown Figs.1 and ,2, and

residing at and Stateof only enlarged detail view.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a modification.

The movable part of the switch comprises a pair of blades 1 and 2 whichare clamped at one end to a stationary lug 3 by means of a bolt l and apair of spring washers 5 and 6 which maintain a uniform spring pressureupon the blades 1 and 2 to hold them against the sides of the lug 3. Thelug 3 is secured toa suitable base board or panel 7 which-may be ofslate, marble or the like .as is usual in switch-board construction. Theswitch blades 1 and 2 which are piv oted on the bolt 1 are held togetherat their outer ends by means of a bolt 8 and spring washers 9 and 10similar to the spring Washers 5 and 6. provided with an extension ortongue 12 which serves as a spacer for the extreme outer ends of theswitch blades 1 and l2. This tongue 12 serves as a spacer and prevents-the blades from being drawn too closely together by the bolt 8 and thespring Washers 9 and 10. A pair of pins 13 and 14 is secured to thetongue 12 and serves to connect the handle 11 with the switch blades 1and 2. It is to ever, that these pins are not riveted or other- Wisesecured to the blades 1 and 2 but are passed through holes which areslightly larger than the pins to allow of a free sidewi'se movement ofthe ends of the blades 1 Patented J an. 9, 1917. Application filedOctober 4., 1915. 1 Serial No. 58,873. i

A suitable handle 11 is be particularly noted, howand 2 with respect tothe tongue 12. It can be seen thus that the blades are not rigidlysecured to the handle 11 so far as sidewise movement of the blades isconcerned, but for the purpose of rotating the blades about the bolt 4.the handle serves as a rigid extension of the blades 1 and 2.

A suitable lug 15 is secured to the baseboard 7 in such position as tobe engaged by the blades 1 and 2. The lug 15 has an open slot 16 cuttherein to receive the bolt 8 when the switch is moved to the closedposition with respect to the lug 15. The outer end of the lug 15 maybesuitably beveled to; give a finished appearance and to assist the bladesin alining themselves when the switch is closed. Where the switch is toserve for reversing connections another lug 17 may be provided forcooperation with the blades 1 and 2. The lug 1'2 is spaced from the lug3 in the same manner as the lug 15 and is also provided with a notch or,open slot 18 for recelving the bolt 8. The

, is to be understood that'this ismerely fail," I These washers are ofspring material:

formed in a cup or conical shape and are,

provided with saw-cuts holding the blades in I It" proper position.

o m, nl t-Wh ch: t e b d s m be yi sly pressed togetherandI am"awarethat a great variety of spring means may be employed'for. the samepurpose. The particular spring means is not of the essence of myinvention; Y Y

It: canbe seen that normally when the switch blades land 2 are out ofengagement with the outer lugs 15 and 17 that the spring washers 9 and10 and the bolt 8 will together,-

gb hold the outer ends of the blades 1 and 2 r as a' spacing block forholding the ends of against the tongue 12. This tongue serves the bladesland 2 from coming too close When the switch is thrown to the closedposition the blades 1' and 2 are free to spread at their outer ends andto adjust themselves to the terminal 15 so as to gain a'maximum area ofcontact, The inner or pivot ends of the blades 1 and 2 are similarlyfree vto adapt themselves to the sur- I face o f the lug 3. Theattachment of the handle 11 issuch as to, allow'free sidewise or lateralmovement of'the blades 1 and 2 switch terminals.

so that they are practically free to adjust themselves to all theinaccuracies vof the In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a modification in:which instead of employing a single bolt 8' and spring washers 9 and'lOfor holding the switch-blades l and 2 against the outer terminal. 15, Iemploy a pair ofibolts 20 and 21 with coiiperatingspring washers on eachside of the lug 22 which does notthave the slot, 16-. The lower terminallug 23 is similarly formedand is falined with the lugs 3.

and 22 so that the switch blades may be moved to connect with it. Theswitch blades 1 and 2 may be made relatively thin in order that they mayhave freedom to adjust themselves to the sides of the connected lugs.

Fig. 5 illustrates the end of an open air switch. Instead of employing ahandle for operatingthe' switch an eyelet 25 is pro.-

vided. ,The eyeletw2 5 j is provided with,

shoulders 26 for spacing the blades apart the .properdistance; Otherwisethe switch is constructed as shojvvir'irrFig.v l or 3, a's fdement of,my inventioml do not intenld tobe limitedflto the details(if-construction shown I ations and sired; The switchisoperatedbyginserting j a, hook in the eyelet "25,

H While I have shown a particular embodifor, described butintendgthatall such modifivariations as will suggest jthemselves to oneskilled in the ar'tand coming one means" securedi tqsaid blades,movement of said blades and-spring means movable with respect toeachoth'er.

my invention beincluded the following claims.

- -19 Ia ebmbmaao spring means at a pl ality of pointsonvsaid switchblades for pressing said blades against said terminals,

switch blades, said spacing means allowing free lateral movement of saidblades 'zbetween outeri-endsthereof. l f5 2. In combination air ofstationary switch 4 terminals, a pair offseparate switch blades movableinto engagement with: both of said terminals, a ='spacing, -blook;between said blades, said -block being of lessiwidth than the width ofsaid terminal,and/spring tionary sw tch-term1nals, a pair of separatemovin or kerfs 19 in order lfswljtch blades,

to l fimberrfoflaspringa. arms aforv and spacing means operatingindependently; ofgsaid :spacr ing'block to hold saidbladesifirmlysin'engagement with the sides ofjlboth: oft-said terminals,said blades having. -op'eratin-gmeans secured thereto for';-moving=isaid switch parallel switch blades pivoted on opposite sides ofone of said terminals, spring means for pressing said blades againstsaid one terminal, spring means'operating independently of said firstspring means for pressing said blades against the sides of said second;

terminal, and means for moving said switch blades in unison, said meanscomprising spacing means betweensaid parallel'switch blades, the outerends laterally movable with 5. In combination a pa'ir ofswitch terminalsof substantially the same thickness, a pair of separate substantiallyparallel switch blades pivoted on one of said terminals,

spring means for holding said blades against:

said one'terminal,spring means independent of said -firs't'spring meansfor holding said of said blades being respect to each other.

blades against the sidesofsaid second terminal, a spacing blockbetwe'en"theend's of said blades and means for retaining saidspacing block" inpositionfbetween said blades; said meansp'rojecting fromthe'sides(if-said spacing block,nthe outer ends-of thi blades engaged by saidspacin'g' block'being laterally said blades against the sides of saidterminal, spring means independent of said first spring means forholding said blades against the sides of said second terminal, a spacingblock between the ends of said blades, pins secured to said spacingmeans and passing loosely through the sides of said blades.

7. In combination a pair of stationary terminals of substantially thesame thickness, a pair of switch blades pivoted upon one of saidterminals, spring means for pressing said blades against said oneterminal, independent spring means for pressing said blades against saidother terminal, a spacing block between the ends of said blades, a pinpassing through said blades and secured to said spacing block and ahandle secured to said spacing block for moving said switch blades toopen or closed position.

8. In combination a pair of stationary switch terminals, a pair offloating blades for connecting said switch terminals, spring means forretaining said floating blades against the sides of said switchterminals, a handle for moving said blades into and out of contact withsaid terminals and spacing means between said blades for allowing a fullfloating action of said blades.

9. In combination a pair of stationary switch terminals, a pair ofmoving switch blades pivoted to one of said terminals, spring means forpressing said blades against the terminals, spacing means between saidblades, said spacing means being secured to the outer ends of saidblades and having means projecting loosely through the switch blades topermit of limited lateral movement of the blades to adapt them to theterminals.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 24th day ofSeptember, A. D.

FRANK E. GETTS.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,212,161, grantedJanuary 9,

1917, upon the application of Frank E. Getts, of Chicago, Illinois, foran improvement in "Switches," errors appear in the printed specificationrequiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 74, claim 1,- after theword "blades insert the words between the outer end: thereof; same pageand claim, line 76, after the word blades insert a period and strike outall to the end of the claim; and that the said Letters Patent should beread with these corrections therein that the some may conform to therecord of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of February, A. D., 1917.

R. F. WHITEHEAD, Acting Uommiuioncr of Patents.

